Seeing red and blue police lights in your rearview mirror and be an anxiety-inducing experience, but that nervousness shouldn’t come from the possibility that the person pulling you over isn’t actually a law enforcement figure. In an effort to make it harder for individuals to impersonate law enforcement officials, Minnesota lawmakers enacted a new law that places additional requirements on what needs to happen for retired police and law enforcement vehicles to be sold to private buyers.
House File 3356, which officially went into effect on October 1, adds additional requirements for anyone selling or transferring a state or local law enforcement vehicle to a member of the public. Under the new law, someone selling a state or local law enforcement vehicle must remove:
- Official emblems
- Outlines or ghosting where decals or emblems were removed
- Emergency lights
- Amber warning lights
- Grille lights
- Sirens
Additionally, before a sale or transfer is finalized, the seller must provide the buyer with an official certificate of compliance confirming that all necessary equipment and markings have been removed. A buyer will be able to obtain this certificate for free from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
New State Traffic Laws
The passage of this legislation established a new section in state traffic law – Minnesota Statutes 169.981 – which is aimed at preventing vehicle impersonation and keeping the public safe from being misled by decommissioned law enforcement vehicles.
Any individual who fails to comply with the new regulations can face stiff penalties. Sellers who violate the law are subject to a $2,500 civil penalty, which would be earmarked for a special account reserved for Minnesota crime victims, and the seller can be sued for damages if the illegally sold vehicle is later used in the commission of a crime.
Other points of emphasis about the new law:
- The law does not apply to government-to-government transfers.
- Historic vehicle collectors are exempt from stripping authentic markings if the vehicle is registered as a collector’s item under Minnesota law, is displayed as part of a collection or is not used for regular daily transportation.
This is a smart addition to the law to help keep Minnesotans safer on the roads. Police and law enforcement impersonation is rare, but it can also be quite effective when it happens because few expect someone to impersonate an officer and the general sentiment is to comply with these authority figures. Making it harder for bad actors to potentially get their hands on vehicles that could make this impersonation easier is a win for public safety.
As always, if you’ve had a run-int with the law and are in need of legal assistance, reach out to the attorneys at Appelman Law Firm. Give our team a call today for a free strategy session. (952) 224-2277.
